The Best Home Security Systems in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Are you looking for the best home security systems in Fort Walton Beach, FL? Using Crime Grade's exceptional crime data that is accurate down to the neighborhood, we have analyzed Fort Walton Beach, FL home security system options in a way no other source has been able to do. See why
A property crime is committed in Fort Walton Beach every 23 hours 57 minutes, and nationwide, your home is 300% more likely to be burglarized without a home security system. Fort Walton Beach experiences 15.89 property crimes per 1000 people and 8.411 incidents of vandalism per 1000 people in the typical year. A home security system will protect you when you’re at home or away, 24 hours a day.
Home Security Companies Available in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Best Overall
Simplisafe
We believe Simplisafe is the best home security system for residents of Fort Walton Beach. The combination of a high amount of renters (38%) and education level (33% of residents have a college degree) makes Simplisafe our top pick.
Affordable Option
Ring
Ring Alarm is a disrupter whose incredibly low monitoring fees (as low as 1/10th the price of larger and better-known companies) and sharp equipment has already made them a household name.
Best Reputation
ADT
Compelling history and top quality security and smart home products. If you're willing to pay for it, you will get a top notch product.
Do You Need a Home Security System in Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Choosing a home security system can seem overwhelming. We’re here to help break down what to consider when living in Fort Walton Beach, FL. We’ll compare different crime rates and weather along with advanced features that make you feel safer and make your life easier.
Why Crime Grade?
Crime Grade has the most robust and accurate nationwide crime model available. In addition, our data is granular enough to identify and compare crime statistics to the neighborhood level. This puts us in the unique position of being able to evaluate the home security needs of people in a particular city rather than making a general assessment. So read on to see what's unique about Fort Walton Beach, FL and our home security system recommendations that result from that.
Property Crime in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Our analysis gives Fort Walton Beach a property crime grade of: D+. Fort Walton Beach is in the 73rd percentile of safety, meaning 73% of cities in Florida are safer and 27% are more dangerous. Please visit our Fort Walton Beach crime map for details on how this is calculated and what it means.
Crime Grades
Property crime is highest in the central part of Fort Walton Beach, with your chances of being a victim of 1 in 24. Compare this to the northeastern part of the city, where crime is lower, and your chances of being a victim are 1 in 150.
D+
D+ |
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D+ |
|
Other Crime Grade |
D+ |
A crime occurs every 11 hours 3 minutes (on average) in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
Your home is 300% more likely to be robbed with no home security system.
So, is Fort Walton Beach safe? Compared to all of Florida, Fort Walton Beach is rated as safe as the average Florida city, which has a property crime rate of 24.76 per 1000. Looking at burglary, we see a different pattern, where Fort Walton Beach, with its burglary rate of 5.548 per 1000, is as safe as the average Florida city.
In addition, Fort Walton Beach is higher than other cities with similar populations for property crime. The table below shows property crime rates and level of occurrence in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
Crime Type |
Crime Rate (per 1000 residents) |
Avg Number of Crimes per year in Fort Walton Beach, FL |
Avg Crimes Committed Per Week |
|---|---|---|---|
Theft |
9.687 |
223 |
4.3 |
Vehicle Theft |
0.5318 |
12 |
0.2 |
Burglary |
5.548 |
128 |
2.5 |
Arson |
0.1255 |
3 |
0.1 |
Weather and Climate in Fort Walton Beach, FL
As strange as it might sound, some home security system features can be more or less important based on the climate you live in.
Home Security Fire Sensors in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Hotter temperatures can lead to higher risk of fires in the home. The average temperature in Fort Walton Beach, FL is 68.49 degrees, reaching 97.12 degrees in the hottest months like July & August. This temperature has held steady compared to 1990, when the hottest month reached 97.06 degrees in July.
Home age is another factor in determining fire risk, primarily due to electrical issues. The average home in Fort Walton Beach was built in 1975, which is older than the national average of 1978 and is much older than the average home in Florida build in 1989.
Between hotter seasonal temperatures and newer homes in Fort Walton Beach, you can judge how important fire sensors and immediate response may be. A combination of smoke detectors, CO2 sensors, and fire alarms connected to a home security system can make that response as swift as possible, whether you’re at work or on vacation.
Home Security Flood Sensors in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Fort Walton Beach, FL gets an average rainfall of 1.5" per year. This is similar to the average of 1.5" for Florida.
With the risk of flooding and burst pipes, a flood sensor can alert you and authorities as soon as possible. Even a few hours make the difference between an easy restoration and long-term water damage.
Home Security Freeze Sensors in Fort Walton Beach, FL
The year a home was constructed can also contribute to the risk of damage from cold weather. The average home in Fort Walton Beach is 48 years old, and seasonal temperature changes have had much more time to cause stress on the home compared to the average Florida home that's 34 years old and more time than the national average of a 45-year-old home.
Temperature fluctuations will weaken the structure and foundation of the home, cold temperatures can cause pipes to leak or burst, and if it snows that can cause additional stress on the roof. However, freeze sensors are not an expensive addon. After assessing your Fort Walton Beach home, you can make a more informed decision if they would be a suitable addition to your home security system.
Cost of Home Security Systems in Fort Walton Beach, FL
To identify the final cost of a home security system for your Fort Walton Beach home, we must determine some of your preferences.
Self-Monitored or Professionally Monitored?
Any home security system you pick will offer a selection of equipment including entry sensors, cameras, etc. The question is, do you actually want to self-monitor your system? If like 37.73% (8,997) of people in Fort Walton Beach, you are a renter, you might prefer a self-monitored home security system. On the other hand, 62.27% or 14,847 of Fort Walton Beach residents own their homes and may be more likely to consider a professionally monitored system to protect their property.
Whether you rent or buy, how well can you monitor your system on your own? For example, if you're one of the 87% of people who commute an average of 27 minutes to work in or around Fort Walton Beach, can you immediately receive notifications on your phone, check cameras in meetings or while working, and call the police if needed?
If not, you might want a professionally monitored system where a company is available 24/7 to respond, whether on vacation or at work. Please see our comprehensive guide on the best home security systems for a complete comparison.
Self-Installed vs. Professional Installation
Most providers have great self-installation options, so if you're handy or tech-savvy, like the 8% of Fort Walton Beach residents working in computer engineering and science, self-installation can be a great option.
Alternatively, when your security system is installed professionally, you can ensure that your equipment is placed correctly and will function without any problems. That peace of mind is valuable for people willing to spend the extra money.
Residents of Fort Walton Beach tend to have a higher median household income than nearby cities, earning $65,593 annually. In addition, 32.7% of residents have a college degree or higher, compared to 32.9% in the United States.
If you're a homeowner, do you have more to protect? The median home value in Fort Walton Beach is $250,120. Compared to the median home value in Florida of $278,762, your home value will probably be lower. With their larger lots, single-family homes tend to be more isolated from view and a tempting target for burglars.
Find an in-depth review of installation options in our best home security systems guide.
Police Stations Near Fort Walton Beach, FL
There are 3 police stations within the boundaries of Fort Walton Beach, and 10 within 5 miles. Within 50 miles of the Fort Walton Beach center, there are 83 police stations. Compared to other cities, police response times in Fort Walton Beach may be much faster. Even when response times are great, every second your security system saves in reporting a crime will improve the police response.
| Federal Bureau Investigation 25 Walter Martin Road Ne # 200 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 (850) 244-2422 |
Fort Walton Beach Police Department 7 Hollywood Boulevard Ne Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 (850) 833-9546 |
County Of Okaloosa 206 Staff Drive Ne Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 (850) 651-7772 |
Home Security and Property Crime in Cities Near Fort Walton Beach, FL
Nearby City | Property Crime Grade | Overall Crime Grade | Safer than Fort Walton Beach, FL? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinco Bayou, FL | D+ | D | about as safe |
| Ocean City, FL | C+ | C | more safe |
| Wright, FL | B- | C+ | more safe |
| Shalimar, FL | C- | C+ | more safe |
| Lake Lorraine, FL | C- | C | more safe |
| Eglin Afb, FL | D | D- | less safe |
| Hurlburt Field, FL | D | C | less safe |
| Mary Esther, FL | D | C | about as safe |
| Destin, FL | D+ | D+ | about as safe |
| Valparaiso, FL | B | B- | more safe |
Home Security and Property Crime in Cities Similar to Fort Walton Beach, FL
Nearby City | Property Crime Grade | Overall Crime Grade | Safer than Fort Walton Beach, FL? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke Rapids, NC | C | C | more safe |
| Hopewell Junction, NY | A | A | more safe |
| Hormigueros, PR | D- | C+ | less safe |
| Hudson, OH | A+ | A+ | more safe |
| Hummelstown, PA | A | A- | more safe |
| Inverness, FL | C+ | B- | more safe |
| Johnston, IA | A+ | A+ | more safe |
| Junction City, KS | D | D | less safe |
| Lincolnia, VA | B+ | A- | more safe |
| Plainview, TX | C | C+ | more safe |
Summarizing Home Security Considerations in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Deciding whether you need a home security system in Fort Walton Beach, FL can be a complicated decision. We've used distrinctive property crime statistics and varying environment factors about the city to help us make an objective recommendation for most residents. Leveraging CrimeGrade.org's uniquely robust and granular crime data, we've scrutinized the options for home security systems, tailoring them to the unique needs and context of Fort Walton Beach residents.
Combining the property crime Grades, demographic information, and local climate conditions for advanced home security features gives us some companies that stand out.
Simplisafe, Ring, and ADT have emerged as the top choices for Fort Walton Beach residents due to their distinctive offerings and reliability, each appealing to varied preferences and budget ranges of homeowners and renters alike. Notably, factors such as Fort Walton Beach's climate, housing age, and average income levels further steer the home security considerations.
Property Crime Insights
- A property crime occurs approximately every 23 hours 57 minutes in Fort Walton Beach.
- The city experiences 15.89 property crimes and 8.411 vandalism insidents per 1,000 people annually.
- Fort Walton Beach's property crime grade stands at an 'D+', comparably as safe as other Florida {{place_type__plural_lower}}.
Noteworthy Security Companies
- Simplisafe: We believe Simplisafe is the best home security system for residents of Fort Walton Beach. The combination of a high amount of renters (38%) and education level (33% of residents have a college degree) makes Simplisafe our top pick.
- Ring: Ring Alarm is a disrupter whose incredibly low monitoring fees (as low as 1/10th the price of larger and better-known companies) and sharp equipment has already made them a household name.
- ADT: Compelling history and top quality security and smart home products. If you're willing to pay for it, you will get a top notch product.
Climate Considerations for Security
- Fire sensors could be worth considering, since the average temperature reaches 97.12 degrees in the peak months of July & August.
- Flood sensors are also worth considering due to the 1.5" of average yearly rainfall and house age of 48 years.
Self vs. Professional Monitoring & Installation
- 37.73% of Fort Walton Beach residents are renters, potentially inclining towards self-monitored systems.
- Given the 87% of commuters, professional monitoring might offer valuable peace of mind.
- Considering Fort Walton Beach's higher household median income of $65,593 and 32.7% college-degree holding populace, investment in professional installation and advanced system features might be favorable.
Local Police Presence
- Fort Walton Beach hosts 3 police stations within it's borders, potentially influencing response times.